Kua 'Aina

Away from the hustle and bustle of the shops in Victoria Square, one of Belfast's newest restaurants is sitting nestled on the top floor.

Inspired by the iconic Hawaiian Burger & Sandwich grill bearing the same name on Hawaii's North Shore, Kua ‘Aina has ridden its wave of popularity from London to Belfast with its first Northern Ireland restaurant.

A move which may seem risky to some, having no other outlets in the UK outside of London, but not to owner Patrick Gray and his business partner Paul De Francisci, whose roots are firmly within Northern Ireland.

The boys say they wanted to bring their business, which they describe "a taste of Hawaii’s North Shore" back to their roots in Belfast.

On entering Kua 'Aina, I couldn't help but feel like I had stepped inside a cool, surf hut on the shores of Hawaii.

With surf boards and neon lighting adorning the walls, and some very-laid back, chilled out music playing, I instantly felt relaxed.

It may have opened its doors on the same day as popular franchise Five Guys, but the two places couldn't be more different.

With no disrespect to fans of Five Guys, Kua 'Aina is just more my cup of tea.

For one, the menu has a wealth of options, from chicken and turkey to fish and beef, the choices are endless.

And you can pick and choose as you like.

From the extensive menu at Kua 'Aina, I opted for the Roast Turkey, Bacon and Cheese in a tasty seeded bun and I wasn't disappointed.

As I had stopped by for lunch I didn't want anything too big and this was just right.

The turkey, cooked on their famous lava grills, literally melted in your mouth, it was incredibly tasty and not at all bland or dry, two words I would normally associate with turkey, especially if it's grilled.

But Kua 'Aina have it down to an art, the bacon was crispy on the edges and soft and smokey on the inside, just delicious.

The atmosphere is very chilled out and the staff could not be more helpful, I could have happily sat there for the rest of the afternoon watching the shoppers coming and going.

Kua 'Aina for me is the perfect spot to pop in at anytime of the day. I know I will certainly be back to try their extensive breakfast and dessert menus that I didn't get the chance to experience this time round.